10/12/2026
Your legs are trained. Is your mind? đ§ đ
When a race gets hard, physical fatigue is only part of the equation. Your attention, self-talk, and ability to respond to discomfort all influence how you navigate the moments when you want to slow down or stop.
The good news? Mental skills are trainable, too.
Here are 5 ways to practice when the miles get tough:
đ Shrink the race: Focus on the next mile, the next 10 minutes, or the next actionable cue.
đ§ Change your self-talk: âThis is hardâ doesnât have to mean âI canât do this.â
đŻ Plan for the wall: Decide ahead of time how youâll respond when fatigue shows up.
đŹď¸ Reset your body: Release unnecessary tension and use your breath to help you reset.
đ Train it, donât hope: Practice these skills in challenging workouts so theyâre more familiar when race day arrives.
You donât have to wait until race day to build mental endurance. Start practicing in training.
Save this for your next hard workout, and share it with a training partner whoâs preparing for a big race.
Follow along for more evidence-informed performance psychology and mental skills you can use in sport and everyday life.
đ Marcora SM, Staiano W, Manning V. Mental fatigue impairs physical performance in humans. J Appl Physiol 106: 857-864, 2009. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.91324.2008.